Blanks and constructions made therewith

ABSTRACT

A pop up display device is constructed from two blanks and a closed loop of resilient material. Each blank consists of a central polygonal panel to each edge of which is hingedly attached a pentagonal flap, which is further bounded by two inner sides flanking the side common to the flap and panel and two outer sides. At least one outer side of each flap may have a tab portion. The two blanks are placed with their panels in face to face contact and the closed loop is disposed about the periphery of the blanks so that it crosses each outer side and lies in contact with the exposed faces of the flaps. Under the influence of the closed loop of resilient material, the blanks are caused to adopt a polygonal configuration but can be flattened against the influence of the closed loop of resilient material for insertion into a flat container such as a mailing envelope or the like.

United' States Patent 72] Inventors Trevor Stevens 142 Chesterfield Avenue, Thundersley,

Benfleet, Essex; Harry Martyn Secunda, 3,Beechwood Close, Mill Hill, London, N.W. 7; Jonathan David Fiszpan, 22 Rundell Crescent, Hendon, London,'N.W. 4, England [21] Appl. No. 850,429

[22] Filed Aug-15,1969 [45] Patented Mar. 23, 1971 [32] Priority Jan. 3, 1969 [33] 7 Great Britain [31] 535/69 [54] BLANKS AND CONSTRUCTIONS MADE Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-Wenceslao J. Contreras Attorney-James E. Bryan ABSTRACT: A pop up display device is constructed from two blanks and a closed loop of resilient material. Each blank consists of a central polygonal panel to each edge of which is hingedly attached a pentagonal flap, which is further bounded by two innersides flanking the side common to the flap and panel and two outer sides. At least one outer side of each flap may have a tab portion. The two blanks are placed with their panels in face to face contact and the closed loop is disposed about the periphery of the blanks so that it crosses each outer side and lies in contact with the exposed faces of the flaps. Under the influence of the closed loop of resilient material, the blanks are caused to adopt a polygonal configuration but can be flattened against the influence of the closed loop of resilient material for insertion into a flat container such as a mailing envelope or the like.

= PATENTED mam 3.571.958

sum 3 or a FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to blanks made of rigid or semirigid sheet material and to constructions made therewith.

It is an object of the invention to provide a blank formed from a single sheet of cardboard, or the like foldable and scorable material which is provided with score lines or the like so that the blank can be folded to form a crownlike shell.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a hingable assembly comprising a flap and panels hingably attached one to each side of said panel and arranged so as to be erectable to form a three-dimensional shell capable of interlocking with an identical shell to form a hollow three-dimensional body, the assembly being made of cardboard, corrugated board, thin metal, fibre board, wood, plastics (such as semirigid P.V.C.) or the like sheet material.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel pop up display device in the shape of a polygonal hollow body the walls of which are made of cardboard or the like sheet material, said hollow body being retained in shape by a closed loop of resilient material, such as a rubber band or the like, the device being flattenable for insertion. into an envelope for sending by mail. 1

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel selferecting collapsible dodecahedral construction made or cardboard or the like rigid or semirigid sheet material which can be inserted in a flat state into a mailingenvelope and which upon withdrawal from the restraining influence of the envelope, erects itself into a dodecahedral shape by the action of an elastic expanding device. I i

It is a further object of the present invention to provide novel. pop up device, the exposed surface of which can be printed with greetings, advertising matter or the like, or otherwise decorated. 1

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a display equipped with an elastic projector such as an elastic band, which causes the display to be extended automatically from a flat condition to an expanded hollow body formed as soon as the restraint of holding it in the flat condition is removed.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a novel pop up display device which comprises, in the flattened condition, a pair of flat foldable blanks anda resilient power element, entwined around the blanks so as to tend to cause the blanks to fold about preformed lines of hinging to form interlocking three-dimensional shells, the shells together forming a polygonal hollow body. I

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention, a blank made of rigid or semirigid sheet material (or an assembly of members of rigid or semirigid sheet material) comprises a polygonal panel, each side of the panel having hingedly attached thereto about a common side a pentagonal flap. The panel has at least four and up to about 1 1 sides, although preferred forms have panels with 4 to 7 sides respectively. Each flap has two inner sides flanking the common side and two outer sides, and at least one outer side on each flap may be provided with a tab portion. Either one or both outer sides of each flap can be provided with a tab portion. In a particularly preferred form of blank both outer sides of each flap are provided with tab portions which are joined so as to provide a unitary tab at the junction of the two outer sides.

A flattenable polygonalconstruction comprises a pair of blanks (or assemblies) as described in the preceding paragraph and a resilient power member, the blanks being disposed so that the panels of the blanks form opposite faces of the polygonal construction. In the polygonal construction each outer side of one blank contacts an outer side of a flap on the other blank. The two blanks are resilient urged into position by the resilient power member which encircles the construction and crosses each outer side. The tab portions (if these are provided) on one blank abut against flaps on the other blank to retain the shape of the polygon and prevent distortion thereof.

A number of illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying somewhat diagrammatic drawings and will now be described.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a plan view of one form of blank constructed in accordance with the present invention,

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a blank folded up to form a crownlike shell,

FIG. 3 shows two blanks placed one on top of another,

FIG. 4 shows the blanks of FIG. 3 and a resilient retaining means,

FIG. 5 shows a flattenable substantially regular dodecahedral construction formed from the arrangement of blanks shown in FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 shows a second form of blank,

FIG. 7 shows a dodecahedral construction made from two of the blanks of FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 shows a third form of blank,

FIG. 9 shows,a dodecahedral construction employing the blanks of FIG. 8,

FIGS. 10 and 11 show other dodecahedral constructions formed in accordance with the invention,

FIG. I2 shows a composite dodecahedral structure,

FIG. 13 shows a blank with a seven-sided panel,

FIG. 14 shows a hollow polygonal body made from a pair of the blanks of FIG. 13,

FIG. 15 shows a blank with a square panel,

FIG. 16 shows a flattenable decahedral hollow body made from two of the blanks of FIG. 15,

FIGS. 17 and I8 show two blanks each with a hexagonal panel and six flaps,

FIG. 19 shows pop up popup display device made from the blanks of FIGS. 17 and 18,

FIG. 20 shows an assembly of a panel and flaps,

FIG. 21 shows a dodecahedron constructed from two assemblies in accordance with FIG. 20, and

FIG. 22 is a cross section on the line XXII-XXII of FIG. 20

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. I of the drawings, a blank is made ofcardboard sheet material and comprises five-sided panel 2 in the shape of a regular pentagon. By the term regular pentagon" we mean a five-sided polygon with equal sides and angles which can be inscribed in a circle.

On each side of the panel 2 there is a flap 4 divided from the panel 2 by means of a line of weakening 6, for example a line of scoring marked on one surface. This line of weakening 6 forms the common side of ,the panel 2 and the flap 4. Each flap is bounded by two inner sides 8 flanking the line of weakening 6 and two outer sidesltl. The two outer sides 10 each have a projecting tab portion, which together form-a unitary tab I2 at the junction of the outer sides 10. As shown in FIG. I this unitary tab 12 has the general shape of an arrow head.

As can be seen from FIG. I one surface of the blank (Le. that surface of the blank which is to be on the outside of the dodecahedral construction) is printed, the panel having a greeting and the flaps each bearing a snowflake" design. However, for clarity, the printed design is omitted from FIGS. 2 to 5.

If the flaps are bent about the lines 6 in the manner shown in FIG. 2 a crown shaped three-dimensional shell is formed in which the outer edges of the flaps together form a substantially continuous rim having circumferential valleys corresponding to the junctions between the inner and outer sides of the flaps and peaks corresponding to the tabs at the junctions between the outer sides. In this crown-shaped shell each inner side 8 of each flap 4 contacts an inner side on an adjacent flap 4.

FIG. 3 shows two identical blanks lying one on top of the other in face to face juxtaposition with the surfaces having the lines of scoring exposed, the flap 4 of one blank being symmetrically offset with respect to the flaps 14 of the other blank so that the flap on one blank masks much of the unscored surface of the flaps of the other blank. The blanks are arranged with their scored surfaces exposed so that the flaps 4 on the top blank can readily fold downwards, whereas the flaps 14 on the underneath blank can readily fold upwards.

FIG. 4 shows the same arrangement of blanks as shown in FIG. 3 but a rubber band 16 has now been looped around the blanks so that it passes above a flap 4 and then below a flap I4 and above the next flap 4 and so on around the periphery of the arrangement. (During this operation it will usually be necessary to hold the panels of the two blanks together in order to restrain them in a flat position).

It will be appreciated that in this arrangement the rubber band 16 crosses each outer side of each flap and lies in contact with the exposed surface of each flap (i.e. the same surface that bears the score lines).

If the restraining influence is now removed the arrangement will adopt the substantially regular dodecahedral three-dimensional shape shown in FIG. since the stretched rubber band will tend to revert to its unstretchcd state and to resiliently urge the blanks into position. By the term regular dodecahedral" we mean having the shape of a solid having I2 plane faces each of which is a regular pentagon, which solid has equal solid angles and can be inscribed in a sphere.

In the substantially regular dodecahedral construction of FIG. 5 each inner side of each flap contacts an inner side of an adjacent flap on the same blank and each outer side of each flap on one blank contacts an outer side of a flap on the other blank. The tabs 12 serve to retain. the shape of the dodecahedron and prevent distortion thereof by buckling inwards or overlapping of the flaps 4 and 14. (It will be appreciated that, although it is theoretically possible to construct a regular dodecahedron from two blanks which are similar to the blanks of FIG. I, but which do not have the tabs 12, in practice a construction made from blanks of thin sheet material without tab portions such as the tabs 12 is unstable and collapses extremely readily if disturbed).

The blank of FIG. 6 is similar to the blank of FIG. 1 except that the outer edges 18 and 20 of each flap 22 are provided with tab portions 24 and 26 respectively. Two blanks as shown in FIG. 6 can be assembled in a similar manner to that illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 to form the dodecahedral construction shown in FIG. 7.

In the blank of FIG. 9 the flap 28 has an outer side 30 provided with a tab portion 32 whilst the other outer side 34 is devoid of tab portions. The dodecahedron of FIG. 9 can be made as before from two blanks of the shape of FIG. 8, one in which the score lines 36 are such that the flaps 28 may fold upwards and one in which the score lines are such that the flaps 28 may fold downwards.

The dodecahedron of FIG. is made from two blanks which have the same outline as the blank of FIG. I and have tabs 12 similar to the tabs of FIGS. 1 to 5. However, the flaps and panels of the blanks of FIG. 10 are provided with a variety of windows, openings and doors. Thus, panel 60 has an opening 62 cut out in it, whilst flap 64 has a window 66 filled with a transparent material. Flaps 68 and 70 have windows 72 and 74 closeable by flap doors 76 and 78 respectively. In the lower blank flap 80 has an opening 82 closeable by a flap door 84 whilst flap 86 has an opening 88.

FIG. 11 shows a dodecahedral construction made from two blanks, the lower of which is a blank of the shape shown in FIG. 1; the upper blank is similar in shape except that it has enlarged tabs 90 each of which is bent so as to function as the blade of a propellor. When the construction is suspended by means of a string or thread 92, any rising air currents will tend to cause it to rotate and to act as a mobile".

FIG. 12 shows how three dodecahedral constructions of FIG. 5 can be mounted one on top of the other to form a decorative shape, the lower panel of one being secured to the upper panel of the next by means of glue, by stapling or by stitching. Instead of the arrangement in which the corners 94 of one dodecahedron are offset with respect to the corners 96 of the next dodecahedron, an arrangement in which the corners 94 and 96 coincide can also be visualized; more than three dodecahedrons can be arranged in either of these ways to give a caterpillarlike shape.

FIG. 13 shows a blank of cardboard having a 7 -sided central panel 100 essentially bounded by score lines 102 each of which forms a side common to panel 100 and a substantially pentagonal flap 104. Each flap I04 is further bounded by two inner sides 106 and two outer sides 108. At the junction of the outer sides 108 there is a projecting tab 110. All of the score lines 102 are formed on the same surface of the blank.

If two blanks are arranged in a manner analogous to the arrangement shown in FIG. 3 and an elastic projector, such as an elastic band is entwined around the periphery of the arrangement in a manner analogous to that shown in FIG. 4, so that the elastic projector crosses each outer edge 108 of each flap 104 and lies across the exposed faces of the blanks, then on removing the restraint holding the panels 100 in face to face contact, the arrangement will adopt the configuration of FIG. 14 in which the elastic band is designated 112.

The blank of FIG. 15 also is constructed from cardboard and has a central square panel 114. On each side of the panel 114 there is a fiap 116, separated therefrom by a line of scoring 118. Each flap 116 is further bounded by inner sides I20 and outer sides 122. At the junction of the outer sides on each flap there is a tab 124.

If two blanks of the shape shown in FIG. 15 are assembled in a manner analogous to that shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 with an elastic band, a decahedral hollow body as shown in FIG. 16 is formed, the reference numeral 126 designating an elastic band.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that although in each of the FIGS. the inner sides of each flap are shown meeting at a point, allowance must be made for the thickness of the material from which the blank is constructed to enable the flaps to fold up to form the crownlike shell. Similarly, if the blanks are constructed from a thick sheet of material, such as fiberboard, the inner and/or outer edges of the flaps may need to be chamfered to ensure that the flaps interlock together.

In accordance with the invention the central panel is a substantially regular polygonal panel having at least four sides. Although we have only illustrated blanks in which the panel has respectively four, five six or seven sides, it is also possible to construct blanks having, for example, eight, nine or ten up to about I 1 sides. If the panels have more that I 1 sides then the resultant constructions obtained from a pair of such blanks and a closed loop of resilient material possess relatively little stability and may tend to collapse easily if disturbed.

It will be appreciated that when the central panel is a regular pentagon, them each flap may also be a regular pentagon. When the central panel has four sides or more than five sides the flaps, although still pentagonal, are not necessarily regular pentagons. Although we have not been able to postulate a method of calculating the optimal shape of the pentagonal flaps, it is a relatively easy matter to arrive at a satisfactory shape for the flap for a given shape of panel by a simple process of trial and error so that the collapsible hollow body from a pair of the blanks is relatively stable in the erected condition.

FIGS. 17 and 18 show two blanks which can be assembled together with a rubber band to form the collapsible hollow body shown in FIG. 19. The blank of FIG. I7 has a hexagonal panel 130 and six flaps I32, I34, I36, I38, I40 and 142 arranged one on each side of the panel 130. Flap 132 is divided from panel 130 by score lines 144 forming part of a broken line of hinging, the two portions 144 being joined by a line 146 cut through the panel 130 and surrounding a penninsula 148. In a similar manner, flap 138 is divided from panel I30 by score lines 150 and a curved line 152 cut right through panel 130. The flap 138 is thus hingable about a line of hinging join- IAIAQ'I mum ing the portions 150. Flaps 134, 136, 140 and 142 are divided from panel 130 by lines of scoring 154, 156, 158 and 160 respectively. Each flap 132 to 142 has a tab 162.

The blank of FIG. 18 has an identical outline to the blank of FIG. 17 and comprises a central panel 164 and flaps 166 and 168. Flaps 168 are divided from panel 164 by lines of scoring 170. Each flap is separated from panel 164by lines of scoring 172 and a line 174 cut right through central panel 164, surrounding a penninsula 176. Each flap I66 and each flap 168 has a tab 178.

If the blanks of FIGS. 17 and 18 are assembled together with an elastic band 180 in a manner analogous to that shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 the hollow body of FIG. 19 is formed. As can be seen from FIGS. 17 to 19 the'flaps are so printedthat the completed hollow body of FIG. 19 bears a resemblance to a cat, the penninsula 148 simulating the tail and the penninsula 176 simulating the feet, whilst the portions enclosed within the line 152 simulate the ears. l I

It will be readily apparent that many other novel pop up displays printed so as to bear a resemblance to,a wide variety of animals can be made by forming cut lines analogous to lines 146 and 152 and by appropriate shaping of the tabs. For example, an elephantlike shape can be achieved by extending one of the tabs to form a trunk."

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5, the size and gauge of the rubber band 16 is of course, chosen so as to exert the necessary restraining influence *on the configuration of FIG. 5 whilst not damaging the blanks when in the configuration of FIG. 4. The material from which the rubber band is made is not critical and it may, for example, be made of natural or synthetic rubber provided that it has the desired elastic properties. Similar considerations apply to the resilient retaining means used in conjunction with the other embodiments il Iustrated in the drawings.

Either or both blanks may be printed or decorated in any desired way and two blanks having essentially the same outline but bearing a different design may be combined in theme construction. The two blanks plus the rubber band assembled as shown in FIG. 4 may be packed flat in an envelope or other form of postal carton. On withdrawal from the envelope, the retaining pressure of the envelope will cease and a collapsible hollow body such as the dodecahedron of FIG. 5 will be formed. The blanks may be suitably printed to enable them to be used as Christmas or greetings cards or the printing may be of an advertising nature. Alternatively the panels may be printed so that the dodecahedral construction can serve as a calendar (with a face for each month of the year), or as a childrens novelty story book, a Jack-in-the-box, a paper parchment lampshade or the like.

If a material such as an aluminum foil-lined cardboard is used an an opening is cut for example in one of the panels, a dodecahedral construction in accordance with the invention can be used as a disposable ash tray.

The assembly of FIG. 20 is constructed from a thicker rigid material such as fiberboard. Two blanks as illustrated in FIG. 20 together with the aid of an elastic projector, such as a multiply elastic band, together from the regular dodecahedron of FIG. 21, in which the elastic projector 182 can also be seen. The blank of FIG. 20 comprises a panel 184 and five flaps 186 hingedly attached (by means described hereafter) to the panel 184 about lines of hinging 188. As can be seen from FIG. 22 the panel 184 and the flaps 186 are made from separate pieces of fiberboard, the flaps being attached tothe panel by means of a strip of cloth or other suitable flexible material 190 glued, stapled or otherwise adhered to the panel and flap so as to form hinges. Each edge 192 of the panel and each edge 194 of the flap 186 is chamfered so that the flaps and panel fit together neatly to form the regular dodecahedron of FIG. 21. In this construction where the thickness of the flaps and panels is as much as, say, one fourth or one-half or even 1 inch no tabs or tab portions are necessary since the thickness of the material ensures the stability of the dodecahedron. If desired one or more of the flaps 186 can be provided with openings,

doors or windows, so that the assembled dodecahedron can be used by a child as a play house. For safety the elastic projector 182 in such a construction may be secured to the flaps by bridges of wire 196.

We claim: I

l. A flattenable, hollow display having, in the erected condi, tion, theshape of a substantially regular dodecahedron com prising a pair of shells each made of rigid or semirigid sheet material and aresilient power member, each said shell comprising a substantially regular pentagonal panel, five flaps and tab portions, each said flap being in the shape of a substantially regular pentagon hingedly attached to said panel about a side common to both flap and panel, and each said flap having two inner sides flanking said common side and two outer sides, a tab portion being provided on at least one outer side of each flap, the shells being disposed so that each outer side of each flap in the erected condition of the display is in contact with an outer side of a flap of the other shell with each outer side intersecting the equatorial plane of the display, so that tab portions on one shell abut against the flaps on the other blank and so that the panels form opposite polar faces of the display, and the resilient power member being arranged to embrace the shells so as to cross each said outer side, whereby upon application of a flattening force to the panels in a polar direction the display is caused to adopt a flattened condition in which the flaps fold outwards relative to the panels against the action of the resilient power member, and whereby, upon removal of the flattening force, the display again adopts the erected dodecahedral configuration under the influence of the resilient power member.

2. A pop up display device comprising a pair of blanks of cardboard or the like scorable and foldable material and a closed loop of resilient material, each blank comprising a polygonal panel having n sides where n is a number greater than 3 and n flaps, each of which flaps is divided from said panel along a common side by a score line on one face of the blank, is further bounded by two inner sides flanking said common side and two outer sides, and has a tab at the junction of the outer sides, the blanks being restrainable in a flattened condition of the display in which the faces of the panels opposite to said one face are in face-to-face contact, flaps of one panel are in staggered relationship to the flaps of the other" panel, and the closed loop of resilient material is disposed around the periphery of the blanks so as to cross each said outer side and pass across each said flap on said one face thereof, whereby, upon removal of the restraining influence the closed loop of resilient material acts upon the flaps to cause the display device to adopt a polyhedral configuration in which the panels form opposite polar faces of the polyhedron, the other faces being formed by said flaps, and in which the closed loop of resilient material is arranged generally equatorially around the polyhedron and crosses each said outer side.

3. A pop up display device according to claim 2 in which n is a number from 4 to about I l.

4. A pop up display device according to claim 2 in which n is 5, in which said panel and each said flap is a substantially re gular pentagon and in which the polyhedron is a substantially regular dodecaheron.

5. A self-creating collapsible construction comprising a pair of assemblies of members of rigid or semirigid sheet material and a closed loop of resilient material, each assembly of members in its flap form comprising a polygonal panel having at least 4 and up to about ll sides and substantially'pentagonal flaps one one each side of the panel, each flap being hingedly attached to said panel about a side common to said panel and said flap, and having a pair of first sides adjacent to said common sides and a pair of second sides, the assemblies each being hingable about said common sides to form a crownlike shell in which said second sides together form a substantially continuous rim, said rim having circumferential valleys corresponding to the junctions between first and second sides of the flaps and peaks corresponding to the junctions between second sides of the flaps, said shells being interlockable in the erected state of the construction so that peaks of one shell abut against valleys of the other shell, the closed loop of resilient material passing around the shells so as to cross each said outer side and to maintain the assemblies each in its said crownlike configuration, and the construction being flattenable against the influence of said closed loop, by forcing the two panels into face-to-face contact, the flaps folding outwards about said common sides as the construction is flattened.

6. A self-erecting collapsible construction according to claim in which said polygonal panel has n sides, n being a number from 4 to 7.

7. A self-erecting collapsible construction according to claim 5 in which each said flap has a projecting tab at the junction between its second sides.

8. A self-erecting collapsible construction according to claim 5 in which each said assembly of members comprises a blank of foldable and scorable material, the flaps being hingable about lines of scoring dividing the flaps from the panel, and each said second side is provided with a tab portion.

9. A self-erecting collapsible construction according to claim 5 in which at least one said flap is hingedly attached to said panel about a broken line of hinging comprising at least two essentially colinear hinging line portions, end of adjacent hinging line portions being joined by a line of incision cut through a member selected from the group consisting of said one flap and said panel, said line of incision thereby defining a penninsula attached to the other member of said group and hingable therewith.

10. A self-erecting collapsible construction according to claim 5 in which at least one member chosen from the group consisting of flaps and panels is provided with an opening.

@2 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,571,958 Dated March 23, 1971 Inv nt fls) Trevor Stevens et a1 It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Page 1, after Item 45 column 1, in the heading, the follow should be inserted:

73 Assignee STEVENS SECUNDA ASSOCIATES,

a company of Great Britain Signed and sealed this 7th day of September 1971.

(SEAL) Attest:

fig ggfi ROBERT GOTTSCHALK est oer Acting Commissioner of Pa 

1. A flattenable, hollow display having, in the erected condition, the shape of a substantially regular dodecahedron comprising a pair of shells each made of rigid or semirigid sheet material and a resilient power member, each said shell comprising a substantially regular pentagonal panel, five flaps and tab portions, each said flap being in the shape of a substantially regular pentagon hingedly attached to said panel about a side common to both flap and panel, and each said flap having two inner sides flanking said common side and two outer sides, a tab portion being provided on at least one outer side of each flap, the shells being disposed so that each outer side of each flap in the erected condition of the display is in contact with an outer side of a flap of the other shell with each outer side intersecting the equatorial plane of the display, so that tab portions on one shell abut against the flaps on the other blank and so that the panels form opposite polar faces of the display, and the resilient power member being arranged to embrace the shells so as to cross each said outer side, whereby upon application of a flattening force to the panels in a polar direction the display is caused to adopt a flattened condition in which the flaps fold outwards relative to the panels against the action of the resilient power member, and whereby, upon removal of the flattening force, the display again adopts the erected dodecahedral configuration under the influence of the resilient power member.
 2. A pop up display device comprising a pair of blanks of cardboard or the like scorable anD foldable material and a closed loop of resilient material, each blank comprising a polygonal panel having n sides where n is a number greater than 3 and n flaps, each of which flaps is divided from said panel along a common side by a score line on one face of the blank, is further bounded by two inner sides flanking said common side and two outer sides, and has a tab at the junction of the outer sides, the blanks being restrainable in a flattened condition of the display in which the faces of the panels opposite to said one face are in face-to-face contact, flaps of one panel are in staggered relationship to the flaps of the other panel, and the closed loop of resilient material is disposed around the periphery of the blanks so as to cross each said outer side and pass across each said flap on said one face thereof, whereby, upon removal of the restraining influence the closed loop of resilient material acts upon the flaps to cause the display device to adopt a polyhedral configuration in which the panels form opposite polar faces of the polyhedron, the other faces being formed by said flaps, and in which the closed loop of resilient material is arranged generally equatorially around the polyhedron and crosses each said outer side.
 3. A pop up display device according to claim 2 in which n is a number from 4 to about
 11. 4. A pop up display device according to claim 2 in which n is 5, in which said panel and each said flap is a substantially regular pentagon and in which the polyhedron is a substantially regular dodecaheron.
 5. A self-creating collapsible construction comprising a pair of assemblies of members of rigid or semirigid sheet material and a closed loop of resilient material, each assembly of members in its flap form comprising a polygonal panel having at least 4 and up to about 11 sides and substantially pentagonal flaps one one each side of the panel, each flap being hingedly attached to said panel about a side common to said panel and said flap, and having a pair of first sides adjacent to said common sides and a pair of second sides, the assemblies each being hingable about said common sides to form a crownlike shell in which said second sides together form a substantially continuous rim, said rim having circumferential valleys corresponding to the junctions between first and second sides of the flaps and peaks corresponding to the junctions between second sides of the flaps, said shells being interlockable in the erected state of the construction so that peaks of one shell abut against valleys of the other shell, the closed loop of resilient material passing around the shells so as to cross each said outer side and to maintain the assemblies each in its said crownlike configuration, and the construction being flattenable against the influence of said closed loop, by forcing the two panels into face-to-face contact, the flaps folding outwards about said common sides as the construction is flattened.
 6. A self-erecting collapsible construction according to claim 5 in which said polygonal panel has n sides, n being a number from 4 to
 7. 7. A self-erecting collapsible construction according to claim 5 in which each said flap has a projecting tab at the junction between its second sides.
 8. A self-erecting collapsible construction according to claim 5 in which each said assembly of members comprises a blank of foldable and scorable material, the flaps being hingable about lines of scoring dividing the flaps from the panel, and each said second side is provided with a tab portion.
 9. A self-erecting collapsible construction according to claim 5 in which at least one said flap is hingedly attached to said panel about a broken line of hinging comprising at least two essentially colinear hinging line portions, end of adjacent hinging line portions being joined by a line of incision cut through a member selected from the group consisting of said one flap and said panel, said line of incision thereby defining a penninsula attached to the other member of said group and hingable therewith.
 10. A self-erecting collapsible construction according to claim 5 in which at least one member chosen from the group consisting of flaps and panels is provided with an opening. 